Patent US3656541A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3656541A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle air conditioning system
Assignee: Bentley Motors Ltd
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Filing: 1971-01-21
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Granted: 1972-04-18
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Expires: 1991-01-21
Abstract
Abstract The invention concerns a vehicle air conditioning system comprising an air intake, a refrigerant evaporator, a heater and a heater by-pass conduit, first and second outlet ducting for separately conveying air to respective outlets in the upper and lower parts of the vehicle interior respectively, air-mixing means associated with each said outlet ducting and which is automatically settable to feed to the said outlet ducting air which has passed through the evaporator and selectively through the heater and the heater by-pass conduit, settable mass flow regulating means in each said outlet ducting, air temperature sensing means adapted to measure the air temperature in the respective outlet ducting, the ambient temperature, and the temperature inside the vehicle, and adapted automatically to control the air-mixing means and the mass flow regulating means, means for closing the outlet of the second outlet ducting and diverting the entire output of the system to the first outlet ducting, and a manual device for varying the setting of the said sensing means.
Inventors
- 👤 John Cadden Coyle
- 👤 Derrick Coulson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 12:27
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/00007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A vehicle air conditioning system comprising an air intake, a refrigerant evaporator, a heater and a heater by-pass conduit, first and second outlet ducting for separately conveying air to respective outlets in the upper and lower parts of the vehicle iNterior respectively, air-mixing means associated with each said outlet ducting and which is automatically settable to feed to the said outlet ducting air which has passed through the evaporator and selectively through the heater and the heater by-pass conduit, settable mass flow regulating means in each said outlet ducting, air temperature sensing means adapted to measure the air temperature in the respective outlet ducting, the ambient temperature, and the temperature inside the vehicle, and adapted automatically to control the air-mixing means and the mass flow regulating means, means for closing the outlet of the second outlet ducting and diverting the entire output of the system to the first outlet ducting, and a manual device for varying the setting of the said sensing means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
163 words
A vehicle air conditioning system comprising an air intake, a refrigerant evaporator, a heater and a heater by-pass conduit, first and second outlet ducting for separately conveying air to respective outlets in the upper and lower parts of the vehicle iNterior respectively, air-mixing means associated with each said outlet ducting and which is automatically settable to feed to the said outlet ducting air which has passed through the evaporator and selectively through the heater and the heater by-pass conduit, settable mass flow regulating means in each said outlet ducting, air temperature sensing means adapted to measure the air temperature in the respective outlet ducting, the ambient temperature, and the temperature inside the vehicle, and adapted automatically to control the air-mixing means and the mass flow regulating means, means for closing the outlet of the second outlet ducting and diverting the entire output of the system to the first outlet ducting, and a manual device for varying the setting of the said sensing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first outlet ducting has two spaced apart outlets for supplying air selectively to the windscreen and the dashboard of the vehicle, respectively, there being a valve for proportioning the amount of air passing to said outlets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air intake is provided with a valve adapted to control a connection to the interior of the vehicle so as to receive recirculated air, and a fresh air inlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein a steplessly variable speed fan is connected between the outlet of the evaporator and the inlets to the heater and the heater by-pass conduit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
50 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the speed of the fan is controlled by electronic control means responsive to the amounts of required airflow in the respective outlet ductings which in turn is arranged to be dependent upon the settings of the air-mixing and mass flow regulating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the electronic control means is arranged to be preferentially responsive to the amount of airflow required in the first outlet ducting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A system as claimed in claim 3 wherein to one side of a predetermined condition the valve of the air intake prevents recirculated air from passing into the air intake, whereas to the other side of said predetermined condition the control of said valve is such that at least the major portion of the air passing into the air intake is recirculated air.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fan is controlled by a thermostat which is responsive to the temperature of the coolant in the engine of said vehicle to prevent the fan from operating until the coolant temperature has reached a predetermined value.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein means are provided to override the thermostat in predetermined conditions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heater is a coolant-air-heat-exchanger, there being shut-off means for shutting down the circulation of coolant through the heater at a selected sensed temperature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
49 words
A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air temperature sensing means includes an actual vehicle interior temperature sensor and a servo arrangement for regulating the temperature and quantity of the air entering said interior in accordance with the difference between the actual and preselected vehicle interior temperature.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
54 words
A system as claimed in claim 11 wherein each air mixing means include a continuously movable valve, movement of which is controlled by a servo module responsive to the output of a balanced amplifier having inputs derived from a comparator arrangement adapted to compare actual and preselected temperatures and a feed back potentiometer, respectively.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the mass flow regulating means includes a continuously movable valve for each outlet ducting, the said valve being mechanically linked with the respective air-mixing valve.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein a thyristor is provided to control a motor driving the fan, the said electronic control means being adapted to vary the mark-space ratio of the on-off pulse for switching the thyristor, the said Electronic control means being responsive to the settings of the air mass flow regulating means and the air-mixing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the means for diverting the entire output of the system through the first outlet ducting includes an override control responsive to the air-mixing valve being at either extreme of its travel.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein a transistor is provided to control a motor driving the fan, the said electronic control means being adapted to vary the mark-space ratio of the on-off pulse for switching the transistor, the said electronic control means being responsive to the settings of the air mass flow regulating means and the air-mixing means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-18 | 1975-10-18 | 1976-04-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-18 | 1979-10-18 | 1980-04-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-18 | 1983-10-18 | 1984-04-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |